Bird strikes happen most often during takeoff or landing, or during low altitude flight of aircrafts. The majority of bird collisions occur near or on airports (90%, according to the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)) during takeoff, landing and associated phases. According to the FAA Wildlife Hazard Management Manual (2005), less than 8% of strikes occur above 900 m (2,953 ft) and 61% occur at less than 30 m (100 ft). The point of impact is usually any forward-facing edge of the vehicle such as a wing leading edge, nose cone, jet engine cowling or engine inlet. For example, turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks account for the majority and more costly of damaging raptor strikes to USAF aircrafts, which amount to 31% and 32%, respectively. As of Jan. 1, 2008, turkey vultures were responsible for 798 bird strikes costing about 52 million dollars while the red-tailed hawks were responsible for 814 strikes with about 14.6 million dollars in damages. Both turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks showed a marked increase in the number of bird strikes during the summer. This was due to the relationship between thermal activity and strike rate for these two species. Both forage by soaring on thermals, without which they are unlikely to reach the height required to bring them into conflict with aircraft. Thermals are formed on dark earth, black tops, roadways, towns, urban areas plowed fields and exhaust gas from power plants in the presence of cumulus clouds. On the other hand, sun reflective surfaces, marshes, and white coated surfaces do not support thermals. The most pronounced damage was caused by the American white pelican reaching about 257.65 million dollars in spite of their low number of strikes. Other thermal soaring birds responsible for the top 50 USAF wildlife strikes include buzzards, eagles, kites, gulls, herons, pelicans and terns.
The typical lift-off speed for an F-15 fighter plane is 150 knots. A Boeing 747, for example, spends longer time in critical path. The aircraft acceleration during takeoff and landing hinders any birds' reaction to avoid collision. Reaction time of birds relative to the motion of the aircrafts is very important for survival of the birds and the avoidance of damage to the aircraft. Such reaction time for soaring birds will be much longer compared to free flying birds.
Accordingly, there is a need to eliminate soaring and migratory birds' conflicts with aircrafts. There is also a need to eliminate the formation of atmospheric thermal currents or thermals in the immediate vicinity of the airports and airfields proper and along the paths of taking off and landing of aircrafts. In addition, there is a need to provide high albedo surfaces in the airport including surfaces of the buildings, runways, roads and the surrounding terrain while preserving the aesthetics of the surfaces. Furthermore, there is a need to conserve/protect migratory birds and soaring birds by providing them with sanctuaries and/or habitat away from airways.